What a wild ride this book was. It seemed like there was hardly a break from the action, with mini-climaxes that made it seem like it could have been at least two separate books. I did appreciate that this book was a bit less predictable than the first one, but I also found it more confusing, from all the politicking, new magic rules and just way too many different character and place names to keep track of (especially when listening to the audiobook). Nevertheless, it is a solid second installment, and I especially give credit where it’s due with the clear planning Yarros must have done, with seeds planted in the first book coming to light in this one.